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Anonymous's avatar
Anonymous
10 years ago
Solved

Mass Effect 3 ending bug? Insanity trophy bug? PS3 version

I did not play any multi-player at all for this game. I entered the final mission with over 4,000 Effective Military Strength. The boy at the end of the game spoke of Shepard having to make a choice....
  • Fred_vdp's avatar
    Fred_vdp
    10 years ago
    @deefleece wrote:

    Playing with the Original ending first time round, I do remember the boy mentioning all the options. I just assumed that you'd get the dialogue wheel to choose. Can't say that I remember the camera zooming in anywhere at the time. You did mention a 4th option before...there are only 3 paths...so how is the 4th option signalled?

    Are you saying that the colour coding only comes into force with the Extended Cut ending?

    On my first play through, Illusive Man killed himself. I did go walkabout for the final walk, looking for goodies, but the game always timed out and I had to reload, so I just skipped exploring that way and went the shortest route...Synthesis.

    Again, at least on the Original ending, this was all handled really badly. Got the impression that I had no choice...it was given to me and I was none the wiser

    about WTH just happened...including those squadmates I thought had died.

    Replaying from my last save - a Hell of a long way to go to reach this spot again - just didn't appeal, re trying the other two paths to see what happened.

    Hopefully you're right about the Extended Cut signalling things better, but I might want to complete my current Insanity run on Original ending first, then play the last two missions on Extended Cut ending.

    * So, on original ending, what are the three paths' outcomes, re Left path, Middle path (Synthesis),  Right path? And how does that 4th option work? 4th option work with the Extended Cut ending only?

    The 4th ending is only part of the extended cut.

    The color coding is also in the original cut.

    The Illusive Man is always dead at that part, as is Anderson, but the cutscenes I mentioned show what they would have done if they were alive.

    The endings are as follows:

    1. Left - Control (blue) Shepard becomes one with the Reapers.

    2. Center - Synthesis (green) Somehow robots have DNA now and organics become synthetic abominations (if I understand it correctly).

    3. Right - Destroy (red) The Reapers, and all advanced technology get destroyed.

    4. Refusal (extended cut only) can be achieved through a dialog option or by shooting the ghost kid. Shepard refuses to use the Crucible to try and win conventionally.

Anonymous's avatar
Anonymous
10 years ago

Yes, I have 4,000 EMS without having played MP or iPad. I played all the DLC though.

As I understand it, I had choices I could make at the end of the game but the problem is they weren't

signalled effectively. I.e. I just went the shortest route to get the Synthesis ending without realising that you

could take different paths. Why aren't the different choices sign-posted? I.e. SHOW which path leads to which

choice outcome? Just really annoying. 

"Red" and "Blue" endings? Where is that sign-posted in the game? I saw no "Red" and "Green" cues.

I assumed that my squadmates on the Earth mission died because...Anderson (I think), told me so, right?

And at the end of the game, I only saw Joker, EDI and Garrus come out of the Normandy.

It is really, really bad game design that the "choices" the game offers you aren't signalled.

Which path leads to which outcome in the game, so I don't pfaff about wasting any more of my time?

Fred_vdp's avatar
Fred_vdp
Hero+
10 years ago

When I first played ME3, I also assumed my squad in London died because Major Coates said the entire squad had been "decimated". The Extended Cut should clear that up, however. It's free DLC and I think it's essential, so I strongly recommend you download it if you haven't already. It fixes the many plot holes this ending is rridled with.

As for the three different endings, the Catalyst explains what each choice entails and the camera zooms in on the path you have to take to get there. There are brief cutscenes that show Anderson using the destroy (red) ending and The Illusive Man using the control (blue) ending. These are color coded for your convenience.

They could have made it more clear by putting the final decision on the dialog wheel, but I think they chose not to it that way because of "action mode", which removes all dialog wheels from the game.

  • Anonymous's avatar
    Anonymous
    10 years ago

    Playing with the Original ending first time round, I do remember the boy mentioning all the options. I just assumed that you'd get the dialogue wheel to choose. Can't say that I remember the camera zooming in anywhere at the time. You did mention a 4th option before...there are only 3 paths...so how is the 4th option signalled?

    Are you saying that the colour coding only comes into force with the Extended Cut ending?

    On my first play through, Illusive Man killed himself. I did go walkabout for the final walk, looking for goodies, but the game always timed out and I had to reload, so I just skipped exploring that way and went the shortest route...Synthesis.

    Again, at least on the Original ending, this was all handled really badly. Got the impression that I had no choice...it was given to me and I was none the wiser

    about WTH just happened...including those squadmates I thought had died.

    Replaying from my last save - a Hell of a long way to go to reach this spot again - just didn't appeal, re trying the other two paths to see what happened.

    Hopefully you're right about the Extended Cut signalling things better, but I might want to complete my current Insanity run on Original ending first, then play the last two missions on Extended Cut ending.

    * So, on original ending, what are the three paths' outcomes, re Left path, Middle path (Synthesis),  Right path? And how does that 4th option work? 4th option work with the Extended Cut ending only?

    • Fred_vdp's avatar
      Fred_vdp
      Hero+
      10 years ago
      @deefleece wrote:

      Playing with the Original ending first time round, I do remember the boy mentioning all the options. I just assumed that you'd get the dialogue wheel to choose. Can't say that I remember the camera zooming in anywhere at the time. You did mention a 4th option before...there are only 3 paths...so how is the 4th option signalled?

      Are you saying that the colour coding only comes into force with the Extended Cut ending?

      On my first play through, Illusive Man killed himself. I did go walkabout for the final walk, looking for goodies, but the game always timed out and I had to reload, so I just skipped exploring that way and went the shortest route...Synthesis.

      Again, at least on the Original ending, this was all handled really badly. Got the impression that I had no choice...it was given to me and I was none the wiser

      about WTH just happened...including those squadmates I thought had died.

      Replaying from my last save - a Hell of a long way to go to reach this spot again - just didn't appeal, re trying the other two paths to see what happened.

      Hopefully you're right about the Extended Cut signalling things better, but I might want to complete my current Insanity run on Original ending first, then play the last two missions on Extended Cut ending.

      * So, on original ending, what are the three paths' outcomes, re Left path, Middle path (Synthesis),  Right path? And how does that 4th option work? 4th option work with the Extended Cut ending only?

      The 4th ending is only part of the extended cut.

      The color coding is also in the original cut.

      The Illusive Man is always dead at that part, as is Anderson, but the cutscenes I mentioned show what they would have done if they were alive.

      The endings are as follows:

      1. Left - Control (blue) Shepard becomes one with the Reapers.

      2. Center - Synthesis (green) Somehow robots have DNA now and organics become synthetic abominations (if I understand it correctly).

      3. Right - Destroy (red) The Reapers, and all advanced technology get destroyed.

      4. Refusal (extended cut only) can be achieved through a dialog option or by shooting the ghost kid. Shepard refuses to use the Crucible to try and win conventionally.

      • Anonymous's avatar
        Anonymous
        10 years ago

        I'll mark your last response as a solution to my OP even though I haven't verified it myself...I'll trust you!

        The only question that remains about your solution is the outcome for the 4th option you mentioned...i.e. who/what lives/dies when you

        choose that option?

        * Ooh...forgot this question...I have seen advice online that your final EMS score is halved IF you haven't played the online components

        and improved your Readiness rating there. Getting conflicting advice re this. Also, are there some solo online challenges you can do

        for this game apart from the Galaxy At War map one? I thought I saw one the other day but if I did, I can't find it again now. Link?

        Unrelated matter...I've got the Collector's Edition of ME3...I can't access the soundtrack that that is supposed to come with.

        I've tried following the advice from this page as to how to access that music but it doesn't work for me. I've got a PSN account...

        tried both inputting my code there and here. Still no Soundtrack appearing on my profile here for me to download...I've only been

        able to download the Extended Cut Soundtrack. Can you help with that? The Support here is pretty appalling...when I do connect with

        a person, I can't type anything in the field where text is meant to go!

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